Ernest beouaedel



(N9, Model.)

E. BROUARDEL.

Gas Pressure Recorder.

No. 242,260. Patented May 31,188].

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST BROUARDEL, OF PARIS, FRANCE.

GAS-PRESSURE RECORDER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,260, dated May 31, 1881.

Application filed March 18, 1881. (No model.) Patented in France October 16, 1879.

I0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST BROUARDEL, of Paris, in the Republic of France, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gas-Pressure Registers, of which invention the following specification is a full description.

Pressure-registers are employed to represent definitely the variations of the pressure of gas, either in the works during the various stages of manufacture or at a point or points in the course of the distributing-mains. Those which are actually in use are hydraulic ones, heavy and inconvenient, and practically impossible to transport from place to place, either in the works or along the route of the mains.

The object of my invention is the construction of an apparatus small in size, easily transportable, and at a low price. The representations of the pressures are made upon a cylinder which incloses some of the principal moving parts or organs of the pressure-register. The details of construction may be modified and applied to any kind of pressure-register; but I prefer the form of apparatus represented in the accompanying drawings.

The dry apparatus is shown in elevation, partly in section, in Figure 1. Fig. 2 is asection on line M N of the right-hand column which supports the apparatus. Fig. 3 is a view, similar to Fig. 1, of a wet register and Fig. 4, a detail view of a modification.

The pressure-register, Fig. 1, consists of a principal cylinder, A, made of metal, and pro -vided on its interior, toward the lower part, with a shoulder, a, which rests upon the plate I), so as to support the cylinder. The plate I) is attached to a clock-work, H. It takes the place of the hands of a clock, and makes one revolution within a given time-say once in twenty-four hours-and carries with it the cylinder A. The clock-work H occupies the lower part of the cylinder, and is wound up by means of a knob or button, B, placed within the base D,whichis hollowed out at this part. On each side of the cylinder A columns (1 0 arise. They are united at their top by a transverse plate, E, which, at the same time, covers the top opening of the cylinder A, but without touching it, so as not to impede its rotation. The upper part of the cylinder contains an inner cylinder, X, which is supported from the plate E, and is connected with a tube,F, which is furnished,ifnecessary, with a cock, G. By this tube it can be put in communication with the pipe or vessel containing the gas the pressure of which is to be registered. Near the upperpartof the cylinder Xacircular membrane or diaphragm, J, of ample dimensions is fixed all around by its outer edge, and so closes the cylinder hermetically. This diaphragm takes the form of a basin after having been first blown out or inflated. In the middle of the diaphragm is placed asmall plate,K, suspended by a strong silk cord, 00. A spiral spring, R, is interposed between the plate K and the plate E. It is large enough in diameter to prevent the rubbing of the cord 00 against the guide. It will be seen that a pressure coming fromthe outside-from a gas-pipe, for exampleby the tube F will operate upon the diaphragm J so as to raise the plate K and compress the spiral spring in'proportion to the pressure.

The pressure is indicated outside by the following means: The cord :10, which suspends the plate K, traverses the plate E, and is wound upon a small pulley,L, which is fixed upon the same arbor with another larger pulley, M, placed above the column 0. Upon this pulley M another silk thread, y, is fixed near its middle. One of its extremities enters the interior ofcol um 11 0, while the other hangs outside and in front. To thei-Xtremity which hangs inside the column is suspended a weight, P, which is intended to counterpoise the weight of K and that of the carriage, which is attached to the front extremity of the cord y. The carriage is composed of two cross-pieces, cc, united by the legs or shanks d d, and guided by the vertical rodf. The cord y is attached to the ring g, and the upper cross-piece c carries a pin, it, which serves to support a writing-pen. This pen (shown at i) is attached to ashank terminating in a hook, it, so that the pen, freely suspended, tends to descend, and consequently leans orpresseslightly upon the surface of cylinder A. The pen is conveniently supplied with a special ink that does not dry.

It will be seen that if there is any pressure in cylinder X the silk thread 00, which supports the plate K, will roll itself upon the pulley L under theinfiuence of the counterpoise P,which is in the column 0, and the carriage will rise.

The distance to whichit willrise depends upon the relative diameters of the two pulleys L and M. This very simple arran gem entnecessitates only one axle being employed for the transmission of motion.

S is the handle for lifting the apparatus.

To make use of the apparatus there is ap plied to the exterior cylinder, A, a sheet of paper on which has already been printed a number of vertical divisions indicating the hours, and horizontal divisions representing tenths or hundredths of an inch of water or mercury, according to the use to which the apparatus is applied in practice. After each revolution of the cylinder the paper is taken off and shows the exact pressure exerted at any moment d uring the day.

In the membraneous or flexible diaphragm a movable bell working in liquid-such as water, oil, or 1nercurycan be used. Also,in lieu of the spring, a special curb fixed upon the axis of the transmission-p111leys, and of which the lever-arms increase with the variations of the height of the movable plate fixed to the diaphragm, could be employed.

In Fig. 3 the revolving cylinder A, upon which is rolled the sheet of paper,is closed top and bottom, and is divided into two compartments by a partition, 0 which extends not quite to the bottom of the cylinder, or is provided with a hole at the bottom, and in which is placed the tube F, that opens into one of the compartments. It is by this tube that the gas enters, and by its pressure upon the liquid in the first compartment causes it to rise in the other, for the two compartments communicate at the lower part, f. The variations of level are transmitted to a float, 9 to which is fastened a cord, .r, that passes around the return pulley l, descendsinto the tube m placed in the center of the drum A, and is wound upon the pulley L. The movement is transmitted to the pen as in the preceding apparatus. The clockwork is placed horizontally above the drum, but it could equally well be placed below it.

In Fig. 4 the spring It is placed between the plateKand the bottom of theinner cylinder, X.

The apparatus can be otherwise constructed, as in Fig. 1.

The movement of the pen is the reverse of that of the apparatus. Instead of rising with the increase of pressure it descends, and vice versa.

Two cylinders, one to indicate the rise of pressure and the other its diminution, can be placed on the same base and revolved by the same clock-work placed between them.

In fixed dry-pressure registers the button for winding up the clock can be attached to the side of the instrument.

These instruments recommend themselves particularly for the following advantages: greatly reduced volume, especially in comparison with analogous apparatus made up to the present time; great lightness, the total weight not exceedin g about six and one-half pounds; security for the moving parts J K R, which, being inelosed, are not exposed to dust or liable to be touched, (the pulleys L and M. can be protected by a cover absence of all liquidiu the dry-pressure register, which makes the apparatus always ready for use and always regulated as to level since the spring is constant; the employment of ink instead of pencil, which renders impossible the accidental or fraudulent alteration of the records; and, lastly, their low cost, whereby they can be supplied at a price which no other analogous apparatus can approach.

This system of apparatus can be adapted to measure the pressure of water, steam, or gas by simply modifying the resistance and dimensions of the organs.

Having now fully described the said invention and the mannerofcarrying the same into effect, what I claim is 1. The combination, with the hollow drum or cylinder and clock-work for revol vi n g the same, of the rising and falling carriage and markinginstrumeut outside the cylinder, the movable devices upon which the gas acts within the cylinder, and means for connecting said devices with said carriage, substantially as described.

2. The combination, with the drum or hollow cylinder for car ying a sheet of paper, as explained, ofclock-work horizontally disposed within said drum or cylinder for revolving the same, substantially as described.

3. The combination of the drum, clock-work, diaphragm, and spring, or their equivalent, means for conveying the pressure of the gas to Said diaghragm, carriage, and in arking-instrument, cross-shaft and pulley mounted on said cross-shaft, and cords connected with said diaphragm and carriage, respectively, and winding on their pulleys, substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ERNEST BROUARDEL.

Witnesses:

GEORGE W ALKER, PHILIP \VALKER. 

